Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody of Lebanon announced yesterday the state Department of Education immediately approved school grants for security device technology for teachers.

The device will have GPS tracking along with real-time video and audio recording capabilities.

Teachers can press one of three color-coded buttons that report the following incidents:

Behavior issues: If a teacher is having a major or dangerous behavior issue with a student, one button will alert the school administrator and school resource officer (SRO) that a teacher needs immediate assistance. The recording will also give definitive proof of the incident, which can help parents or law enforcement address the specific behavior issue of the student.

Medical emergencies: In the case of a medical emergency on school grounds, another button will require the immediate assistance of the school nurse and alert local medics.

Active threat or active shooter: This button will alert law enforcement, SROs, and school administrators of an active shooter or active threat situation at the school. The real-time audio and visual recording will help law enforcement quickly track the threat and enable officers to work quickly and decisively to remove the threat.

The Tennessee Department of Education will be notifying school districts across the state that the school safety grant eligibility is expanded to cover this technology.